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Gluten-Free Gingerbread Orange Cake

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If you're looking for a fun and festive dessert, you have to try this Gluten-Free Gingerbread Orange Cake! It's soft, moist, and has an irresistible flavor combination. Plus it's made with good for you ingredients like orange puree, almond flour, and blackstrap molasses!

Gingerbread orange cake on a white plate.

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🍴Ingredient Notes

Overhead shot of gingerbread orange cake ingerdients.
  • Almond Flour - Almond flour is a great gluten-free flour alternative. My favorite brands are Bob’s Red Mill, and Blue Diamond. Both have a finely ground blend that doesn’t come out clumpy! Make sure it’s almond FLOUR and not almond MEAL. They have completely different textures.
  • Cassava Flour - If you're not familiar with cassava flour, it's a great gluten-free flour alternative! It has a very light, powdery texture, and it’s made from Yuca. You can find it on amazon, or at most natural markets. (Whole Foods!) I have not tested this recipe with any other flour combination.
  • Baking Powder + Baking Soda - You'll need both to create the perfect texture.
  • Spices - Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, and Ground Clove.
  • Eggs - I have not tested this recipe with egg replacements.
  • Orange Puree - To make, just peel an orange and blend on high until smooth.
  • Coconut Sugar - You can sub with Lakanto golden monkfruit for a lower sugar option. Any granulated sugar will work with this recipe.
  • Orange Zest - You'll need the zest from an entire orange for this recipe. Save a little on the side for the coconut cream frosting! (If you're making it.)
  • Organic Blackstrap Molasses - Any molasses will work!

🍴Step by Step Instructions

Making the Cake Batter

  1. Start by adding the almond flour, cassava flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices into a mixing bowl. Blend with a whisk until combined.
  2. Next, add eggs, orange puree, coconut sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract into a separate bowl. Whip together with a whisk until smooth.
  3. Fold the flour mixture and wet mixture together until all of the flour is absorbed.
  • Dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  • Wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  • Cake batter in a mixing bowl.

Baking

  1. Add the cake batter into a greased 9 inch cake pan. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. (Or until a toothpick comes out clean!)
  2. Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing. Serve as is, or with fresh coconut cream frosting!
  • Cake batter in round pan.
  • Baked cake cooling in round pan.

How to make Coconut Cream Frosting

The frosting is totally optional, but highly recommended! You'll need a chilled can of full fat coconut milk, fresh orange zest, and powdered sugar. (You can use Lakanto powdered sugar for a lower sugar option.)

  1. For the frosting, make sure your coconut cream has been refrigerated for at least 6 hours. (Ideally overnight.) The colder it is, the thicker it will get. I also pop my mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before I add the coconut cream into the bowl.
  2. Add the thick part of the coconut cream from the top of the can into your chilled mixing bowl. Do NOT add the liquid part at the bottom or it will not thicken up into a whipped cream. Whip the mixture on high with an electric hand or stand mixer for a few minutes until it becomes thicker.
  3. Next, add in the powdered sugar and about 2 tablespoons of fresh orange zest. Whip for a few more minutes until it becomes thick and fluffy. (Don't over mix or it will fall flat.) Place in refrigerator until you're ready to frost the cakes.
Overhead picture of gingerbread orange cake with orange slices on top.

Baking Tips

  1. Before grating the orange, I like to wash it with soap and water! Also, you'll want to grate the orange before peeling it to puree.
  2. When measuring flours, use a spoon to fill the measuring cup and take a butter knife to push off the excess flour. Do NOT pack the flour.
  3. Grease the cake pan! I like using coconut oil, but any non-stick spray will work. I also like to line the bottom of the cake with parchment paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size cake pan should I use?

For this recipe I used a 9 inch cake pan. Any pan around this size will work!

Do you have any pre-made frosting suggestions?

If you're not interested in making your own, the brand Simple Mills makes a delicious dairy-free vanilla frosting that you can find at most grocery stores! Just add some fresh orange zest!

Slice of gingerbread orange cake with a fork.

How to store leftovers

The cake with or without frosting stores best in the refrigerator. After about 5 days I would transfer any leftovers into an air tight glass container in the freezer. To defrost, just place the frozen cake in the refrigerator the night before.

More holiday inspired recipes!

After you make this Gluten-Free Gingerbread Orange Cake, make sure to leave a comment & rate the recipe! Your feedback is helpful for me, and for anyone planning to try this recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Recipe

Overhead picture of gingerbread orange cake with orange slices on top.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Orange Cake

If you're looking for a fun and festive dessert, you have to try this Gluten-Free Gingerbread Orange Cake! It's soft, moist, and has an irresistible flavor combination. Plus it's made with good for you ingredients like orange puree, almond flour, and blackstrap molasses!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share on Facebook
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 203 kcal

Equipment

  • 9 Inch Cake Pan
  • High Speed Blender

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Almond Flour
  • ⅓ Cup Cassava Flour
  • 1+½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon Ground Clove

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 Eggs
  • ½ Cup Orange Puree Fresh orange blended until smooth.
  • ⅓ Cup Coconut Sugar You can sub with Lakanto golden monkfruit or any granulated sugar.
  • ¼ Cup Organic Blackstrap Molasses
  • Orange Zest From 1 whole orange!
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions
 

Making the Cake Batter

  • Start by adding the almond flour, cassava flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices into a mixing bowl. Blend with a whisk until combined.
  • Next, add eggs, orange puree, coconut sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract into a separate bowl. Whip together with a whisk until smooth.
  • Fold the flour mixture and wet mixture together until all of the flour is absorbed.

Baking

  • Add the cake batter into a greased 9 inch cake pan. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. (Or until a toothpick comes out clean!)
  • Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing. Serve as is, or with fresh coconut cream frosting!

Coconut Cream Frosting

  • For the frosting, make sure your coconut cream has been refrigerated for at least 6 hours. (Ideally overnight.) The colder it is, the thicker it will get. I also pop my mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before I add the coconut cream into the bowl.
  • Add the thick part of the coconut cream from the top of the can into your chilled mixing bowl. Do NOT add the liquid part at the bottom or it will not thicken up into a whipped cream. Whip the mixture on high with an electric hand or stand mixer for a few minutes until it becomes thicker.
  • Next, add in the powdered sugar and about 2 tablespoons of fresh orange zest. Whip for a few more minutes until it becomes thick and fluffy. (Don't over mix or it will fall flat.) Place in refrigerator until you're ready to frost the cakes.

Notes

Note - the nutrition facts do not reflect the frosting on top. They are for the cake only!

Baking Tips

  1. Before grating the orange, I like to wash it with soap and water! Also, you'll want to grate the orange before peeling it to puree.
  2. When measuring flours, use a spoon to fill the measuring cup and take a butter knife to push off the excess flour. Do NOT pack the flour.
  3. Grease the cake pan! I like using coconut oil, but any non-stick spray will work. I also like to line the bottom of the cake with parchment paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size cake pan should I use?
For this recipe I used a 9 inch cake pan. Any pan around this size will work!
Do you have any pre-made frosting suggestions?
If you're not interested in making your own, the brand Simple Mills makes a delicious dairy-free vanilla frosting that you can find at most grocery stores! Just add some fresh orange zest!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 203kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 6gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 431mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 69IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 213mgIron: 2mg
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